"This isn't just about recounting my own experiences as a battered wife. It's about understanding ourselves as women, regaining our self-esteem, and discovering the person we were meant to be."

To outsiders, Dianne Schwartz lived a charmed life. She had won the title of Mrs. Arizona, acted in nationally televised commercials, performed as a professional singer, and operated her own business. But these aspects of her life were simply a facade hiding a dark secret: Her home life was poisoned by the physical and emotional abuse perpetrated upon her by her husband.

In this moving and inspirational work, Schwartz shares the trauma involved in living with an abuser, and takes you with her during the gradual process that allowed her to escape from the nightmare and move toward true healing. Along the way, she reveals how to recognize the warning signs of domestic violence, listen to your inner spirit, rid yourself of false beliefs, and love yourself enough to protect your precious soul.

Throughout this book, Schwartz offers valuable self-help techniques as a resource for battered and abused women to discover their self-worth and regain their lives. Her honesty in detailing her thought processes provides enormous insight into the psyche of a victim of abuse, while her ultimate recovery offers hope to others trapped within the cycle of domestic violence.